DURHAM — Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has used the word “if” instead of “when” recently regarding senior forward Ryan Kelly’s status for later in the season.

Kelly hasn’t played since early January because of a foot injury. Krzyzewski consistently said that the Blue Devils expected Kelly back later this season and when he returned the team would be better off because of it.

Consider Kelly’s status perhaps downgraded because the coach has sounded less definitive on the topic in some comments the past couple of weeks, only referring to the possibility that if Kelly returns he’ll have to rejoin a revamped rotation.

“At some time we have to be able to try things out,” Krzyzewski said during the past week. “I think we need to do that before the NCAA Tournament for his good and for our team’s good. …

“Ryan has done an amazing job in trying to get back and hopefully we can try to see if something will work here in the not-too-distant future. But no timetable.”

So it appears unlikely that Kelly will be in uniform for this afternoon’s game against visiting Boston College.

Second-place Duke has flickering Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title hopes despite another stellar season in the works.

Duke has won at least 10 ACC games in six consecutive seasons. The Blue Devils are coming off Thursday night’s 88-56 road thrashing of Virginia Tech, marking their largest margin of victory in a conference game since an 82-50 result against North Carolina on March 6, 2010.

Boston College has won two of its last three games. A one-point loss to Duke and a three-point setback at Florida State are the only things preventing the Eagles from carrying a four-game winning streak.

So that makes coach Steve Donohue more encouraged that perplexed.

“I don’t want to just accept losses, but I also don’t want to lose sight of where we are at in our development,” Donohue said. “I’m disappointed in losses, but I’m not discouraged of where we are headed and I’m not going to lose sight of that.”

The Eagles have lost their last five road games.

“I think we are playing well on the road and we played solid at home,” Donahue said. “I don’t have a whole lot of issues with those type of things that would drive a coach crazy not being emotional, physically ready to play. I think we have done that.”